In the Wake
by mundaneepitome
Summary: Where were the guardians when Tsuna got shot down? An Alternate Universe in which TYL Tsuna really did get shot down and there was no 'plan' at all. Oneshot. Gen.


I did not like the explanation offered by Shouichi, and I still find it hard to swallow – so either way, this is an alternate universe. Say hi.

Uh, don't follow anything of the series anymore, but this was an old piece I've added some stuff to and reorganized in terms of formatting, and I think I like it better than before – before, it was all...spaced out and vague.

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><p><strong>In the Wake<strong>

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><p>"I'll deal on his terms. It'll be fine." That was Sky's reassurance. "Just wait. It'll be fine."<p>

They wait, but they're not happy to do so. It's _god-fucking-dammit Juudaime_ this and _Juudaime_ that from the Storm. It's a wordless Rain who stares impassively and who is usually the reassuring stronghold, yet says nothing. It's the Cloud who often refuses to loiter around that stays, eyes straying off into the distance. It's the second half of Mist who closes her eyes and sinks back into the shadows, hands clutching fiercely at the trident in her hands. Thunder has buried his face in his knees, hands behind his head, and is sitting on the ground saying not a word. There are only six of the seven guardians left, because the other half of Mist is gone too. Nobody knows where he is. And they are all here, except two. Save the Sun, save the _**Sky**_, the Guardians stay in this room, faces hopelessly pale, and the silence deafening save for the Storm's shouts, and tense anxiety stretching across the small, nondescript room.

They look not at each other. Storm is yelling into his phone, cursing, hands running into his hair over and over again, hoping, but Sky is good at hiding and Sky is anything honourable and Sky is _too fucking trustworthy_. Rain has his eyes lowered to the table while his arms are folded, wondering. Cloud leans back against the wall, hand habitually clicking the tonfa, feeling. Mist has her eyes closed, hands clasped in front, knowing. Thunder, as it is, does not move, and can only mouth words to himself over and over again. It is better to stay yourself and none of them can afford to fight each other. Five minutes later, comes the Sun, and they all look up.

The reason they've done so is, since – _but_ – Sun can't exist anywhere except the Sky, and there he is. Slung over Sun's shoulder, head lowered, blood, so much _blood_. Without a moment's hesitation, Storm rushes to Sky's side and helps Sun set him down carefully, but without a moment's hesitation later yanks open his shirt with furiously shaking hands. Sky's been shot at, that much is certain of course, but Storm is lucid. Lucid and yelling and mumbling and shaking and _scared –_ he's never been so scared, but he can't remember another time to compare.

Sky is barely alive, barely breathing, barely recognizable as his head falls back from his neck, and disorientation is evident on his face. His breathing is erratic, he may have punctured a lung, and all of them at least have some experience in first-aid, but –

Mist slowly glides there, bends down, just as Sun stands and stumbles away. She places a hand on the side of Sky's face. She whispers something into Sky's ear, and Sky. Sky smiles. It's so weak of a smile. In response, Mist closes her eyes, and places a hand atop of his, and he laughs. He asks her what's wrong, and she doesn't reply.

This – everything – this lifestyle, this position – it's hard on Sky, of course. He's never been strong, and never been athletic, got all the bad grades at school and never had or made friends for a very long time. And now that he has them, they have to be a part of _this_ in order for them to stay. They have to be _bound_ to him through life and death, for the Family to survive. He's never wanted that, but he'll do whatever it takes for _them._

Sky makes an effort to say something, but it dies in his throat when Mist shakes her head. He trusts her, just like he trusts everyone else, and if the smile that seems so watery and shaky on his face is no indication, it's how he squeezes her hand back. He's scared, always has been, always will be. He is still that boy, still doesn't want to be a mafia boss. Mist knows it because she feels it, and soothes him. She is Sky's Mist, and her presence is more than enough for him.

Thunder, as it is, is frozen, can't move. He's scared, he's shaking, he's only fifteen, he's as close to Storm as anyone else and even he can see without having to rely on seeing how others react that this is bad. Storm glances up, head _snapping_ up - and Thunder sees desperation in those eyes, fear and worry for _him_ as well and -

"Go." Storm rasps, "You can't - if your bazooka - "

_Get out. _And he's almost prepared to do so, shaking, but not before he stands before Sky's almost too still body, sees it - sees Sky, sees the _Boss_ like this and - and - and shakes his head. Storm can't yell at him - doesn't have the right, not when he himself is _yelling_ so hoarsely. Instead of being furious, Storm just looks like he has no idea what to do and just tells him to help him hold something open, and they work.

Storm tries to apply what medical knowledge he knows, but there is fear in his eyes. So much fear. He blathers on as through trying to reassure himself, Thunder squeezes his eyes shut tight and doesn't say a word. Sky laughs, nods, though he probably can't understand half of what he's hearing. He tries to look at what Storm's doing, tries to catch Thunder's eye that he's_ going to be okay, don't worry _by lifting up his head, but Mist's other hand releases her trident onto the ground with a clatter and places itself over his eyes.

He stills in movement save for his very shallow breathing, almost at once.

"Don't, Boss." Is the only thing she says, quiet amongst Storm's frantic blathering and Thunder's shuddering breathing so similar to Sky's own. Sky does as she says, but it isn't soon until Thunder abruptly stands up and leaves the room.

Thunder's never been strong, but he's not like Sky. Sky is strict at times, and sometimes unfair - Thunder's not allowed to have his own missions or anything that another guardian can't cover for him - but he understands and he's _okay_ with it, really. He's okay with it, so he wants his boss to be okay too - but he can't handle this, can't _see_ him like this, and knows exactly the risks that Storm saw in allowing him to stay so close to Sky and all that blood.

He stumbles out, sick to his stomach, outside, and will probably stay out there, in the same position as he was when waiting for news from Sky, but will tremble for far too much.

Back inside, Rain fights the urge to go to Sky as well. He can't bear to look him in the face, and he knows his own purpose as well – doesn't mean he damn well likes it. He wonders what he's done – he's failed, they've all failed, but they can't stay around like that – Rain won't take it, _Storm_ fucking definitely will not take it – but as it is, Storm isn't moving right now so Rain has to start it.

He turns to Sun, ready to ask, but stops stone cold at what he sees. Sun's eyes, rather than bleak, are angry. He's going back, back to where he got Sky, going to punch those motherfuckers to oblivion and back, and them dying isn't good enough. He's going to fucking tear them apart. Nothing you or anyone else can do or say will stop him, and it doesn't matter what you want or how you want it, Sun is going to kill them all.

Cloud doesn't do anything like that. Instead, he's silent. He's good at that, but it doesn't mean he doesn't feel. He's _irritated_ by any word, but he knows Sky will live because Sky is the _strongest_, and he will _remain_ the strongest until Cloud feels like fighting him again.

Usually, Cloud doesn't come here if he can help it. Any questioning from the other guardians about him being present was thankfully null. He doesn't involve himself in "the Family" because he doesn't recognize it. He doesn't drop its name when he wants to use it, and he can't be bothered to associate with it either. He does not share their herbivorous ideals of friendship.

However –

Sun is still raging when Cloud nearly bashes his head in, tonfa clicking neatly, making a neat and sharp cut into the air that whizzes by through Rain's ears as he walks by them. He doesn't say a thing, merely walks on past. Rain calls after him, but it's Sun who despite that injury, scrambles to his feet and chases after, and it is Cloud who allows him to walk by his side to do so as they both have a similar purpose for what they will do.

Sun and Cloud will make them pay. _Don't fucking wait up_.

Rain glances back, to where Sky lays, still, completely still – panic flows through him, before –Mist meets his eyes, and shakes her head, her hand still resting over Sky's eyes. He's asleep, or at least, in a similar state to sleep, senses suspended temporarily. She won't be able to help for long – it's evident by how Mist's face has grown pale, and she clutches the trident she's picked up again in one hand along with Sky's tightly – two of what she will not, _cannot_ let go of.

Storm's discarded phone rings. Rain picks it up. On the other side of the phone, Mare laughs, and it's so hateful to hear.

"Put Tsunayoshi on, will you?" he asks.

It's on speakerphone. Storm is frozen, as is Rain. Mist has closed her eyes again and squeezed Sky's hand, just as Rain slams a heavy fist on the table and the sound reverberates through the room. Rain doesn't fucking care that he's already broken it only weeks ago, just as Storm swallows heavily without a word, rage and fury in his eyes.

All but one of them is in a tangle of emotions. From where he lays, Sky breathes shallowly. And on Sky's face, after Mist slowly lifts her hand off only to reach over and clasp Sky's other hand tightly, there is far too a deceitful look of peace to reassure any of them.

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><p><em>end.<em>


End file.
